Mild stress comes from direct particle contact. Stronger effects — tissue swelling, polyp retraction, bleaching — come from leachates of weathered plastics. 🌊🪸
Realistic exposure scenarios are key to understanding microplastic risks for reefs.

📄 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

🌊🪸 Congrats to Enrico Montalbetti on receiving a JMSE Travel Grant to attend ICRS 2026 in Auckland 🇳🇿!

The grant supports research on coral metabolic responses to thermal stress — contributing to global discussions on reef resilience in a changing climate.

🌊 Applications open for MTMT 2026!
Hands-on workshop on coral reef mapping & monitoring 🪸
From UAVs to underwater photogrammetry, GIS & fieldwork at MaRHE Center (Maldives).
📍 Magoodhoo | 📅 25 Apr–3 May 2026
🔗 www.mtmt.cloud/wp-content/u...

🔥🌊 New research | 2026
Wildfire ash doesn’t stop at the coast. We show that ash entering seawater induces oxidative stress, early bleaching signals, and photoacclimation responses in 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘴𝘢, a key Mediterranean coral. Wildfires are an emerging marine stressor 🌍🪸
doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...

⚽🪸 Another great session of Playing with Corals wrapped up!
Together with Inter Campus & the UEFA Foundation, we’re blending football and coral education to empower young ocean stewards in the Maldives ✨
Thanks to all partners and the Maldivian Ministry of Sport for the continued support 💙

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Meet our Maldivian Scholarship awardee, Hadin Musad from MUI at Six Senses Laamu!
He joined our CBASS Workshop to train in coral heat-tolerance testing and is now applying these skills in Laamu Atoll to support reef resilience 🌡🪸
Proud to collaborate with MUI 🌿

#CBASS #coralresearch #marhecenter

Just wrapped up the 2nd edition of the CBASS workshop in the Maldives! 🌍
A full week of hands-on work assessing coral thermotolerance amid climate change. 🌡🪸

Huge thanks to @reefgenomics.bsky.social our MaRHE team and all participants.
More updates soon — see you in the next edition! 💙

November is Coral Bleaching Awareness Month. 🌊🔥

Our PhD student @lmtoniolo.bsky.social shares what the 2024 bleaching event teaches us about reef fragility and resilience. By understanding how corals respond to heat, we learn how to protect them. 💙

📸 Ocean Agency

MaRHE Center researchers joined the 2nd CRIMAC International School – SymbioMar 🪸 in Amendolara, Italy.
An inspiring event on marine symbiosis — from taxonomy to biotechnology.
Thanks to @calabria.marine_centre_crimac for hosting! 🌊
#MarineScience #Symbiosis

🌊 Aperte le iscrizioni al Workshop di Ecologia Marina Tropicale, dal 2 al 10 febbraio 2026

Lezioni e attività in mare per scoprire la biologia ed ecologia delle scogliere coralline, con snorkelling e un progetto scientifico finale 🪸

📅 Iscrizioni entro 30/11/2025
🔗 www.canva.com/design/DAG3Q...

🌍 Aperte le iscrizioni al Workshop “Turismo e Comunità Locale in Ambienti Fragili”, dal 7 al 15 gennaio 2026.

Lezioni, attività sul campo e incontri con realtà locali per esplorare il turismo sostenibile negli ecosistemi corallini. 🪸

📅 Iscrizioni entro 20/11/2025
🔗 www.canva.com/design/DAG3f...

New publication in Marine Drugs! 🌿
Our review on Sonneratia caseolaris (“mangrove apple”) covers 40+ years of research, 141 compounds & strong bioactive potential — a key step for future marine drug discovery. 💊
Read: www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23...

#MarineDrugs #Mangroves

Citizen science is reshaping how we study and protect marine ecosystems 🌍 By involving the public in data collection and observation, researchers can extend spatial and temporal coverage — improving… ... Citizen science is reshaping how we study and protect marine ecosystems 🌍 By involving the public in data collection and observation, researchers can extend spatial and temporal coverage — improving o...

Citizen science is helping protect our oceans 🌊
With Map the Giants, divers and scientists join forces to find and record giant corals — living witnesses of ocean history. Every sighting counts! 🪸
Learn more & join the project: Map the Giants: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

New paper in Scientific Reports! 📘

Thermal preconditioning—mild heat exposure—can boost coral resilience. Preconditioned corals showed delayed bleaching, stronger defense, and less damage. 🪸🌡

Read more: doi.org/10.1038/s415...

🪸 Proud that MaRHE Center joined the @MafWorld Training School in Genoa (15–19 Sept) on valuing & restoring Animal Forests 🐠.
Professors Davide Seveso and Simone Montano shared insights on our research, protection & restoration efforts with the Aquarium of Genoa. 🌊

#MAFWORLD #MarineScience

New study out from Cerri et al.! 🌱
The root extract of 𝘈𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢 shows strong cytotoxic effects vs. colorectal & breast cancer cell lines, plus promising antioxidant activity. Full article: www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18...

Our latest study by Toniolo et al. is out 🪸!

We reveal how 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘴𝘢 respond to intermittent light and darkness, adjusting its photosynthetic performance.

These findings shed light on coral resilience in the face of urbanization and climate change 🌍

🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s003...

Just out in Coral Reefs 📄: We detected sunscreen UV filters (oxybenzone, octinoxate) in Paramuricea clavata corals in the Ligurian Sea 🇮🇹. Levels were higher outside the Portofino MPA, suggesting these areas can help shield marine life from emerging pollutants. OA: link.springer.com/10.1007/s003...

🪸 CBASS Workshop – Maldives 🌡️
24 Nov–2 Dec ’25 @ MaRHE Center, Magoodhoo
Hands‑on CBASS experiments, lectures, snorkeling & SCUBA with Prof. Christian Voolstra @reefgenomics.bsky.social
Deadline: 17 Sep ’25 | Limited spots!
🔗 en.unimib.it/news/2nd-edi...
#CBASS #CoralReefConservation #MarineWorkshop

🔬✨ Meet Chiara, a PhD researcher tackling coral growth anomalies—skeletal deformations that undermine reef health. Using ecological, morphological & histopathological tools, she’s uncovering disease drivers to boost coral resilience. Follow for updates! #CoralResearch #ReefHealth

📢 Full PhD scholarship for a Maldivian citizen!
Study marine science between Italy and the Maldives with UniMiB + MaRHE Center.
Deadline: July 24, 12:00 CEST.
Apply: en.unimib.it/study/doctor...
#PhD #MarineScience #Maldives

Proud to share our new review on rare shark pigmentation disorders, in Ecology and Evolution! 🦈✨
Led by Shark Research Mexico with data from UniMiB, MaRHE, and Miyaru_org. We’re uncovering unique patterns in shark genetics and population health
Read it here 👉 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

⚽🪸 Playing with Corals: where football meets coral planting in the Maldives!
50+ local kids teamed up with InterCampus and Maldives Ministry to train on the pitch and grow coral fragments. Over 200 corals planted, dozens of future ocean ambassadors made.
Thanks everybody and see you for round two!

On May 15th Prof. Simone Montano presented Map the Giants at MNU 🇲🇻🪸
Raif, MNU student & expedition participant, shared his experience—big inspiration for future marine scientists! 🌊🎓
#MapTheGiants #Corals #Maldives

🌊🧬 New Research Alert!

We’ve mapped the microbiomes of Porites lobata & Acropora gemmifera in the Maldives, finding bacteria with antimicrobial, antioxidant & UV‑protective powers—including a brand‑new species! 🔬✨

📄 Dive into the details here: www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14...

✨🎓 PhD Spotlight on Jacopo!
His thesis in Bergeggi & Portofino MPAs uncovered:
• Thermal stress & disease impacts on gorgonians
• First records of PAEs, pharma & UV filters in Mediterranean anthozoans
• Tissue‑loss pathology in key species
Congrats @jacopogobbato! Here’s to your next big adventure!

🌿🧬 Exciting news! Our lecturers will be on the expert panel at SymbioMar 2025, CRIMAC’s International School on marine symbiosis
📅 Nov 4–7 | Amendolara, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
👉 Lectures, lab work (microscopy, sequencing), bioinformatics & networking
📢 Applications open now! Don’t miss out 🌊

New paper out! 🎉
Team effort between MaRHE Center, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, and University of Messina.
We looked into coral-associated microbes from the Maldives identifying strains with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and UV-protective properties. 🌊🧬
Have a look! www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14...

🌊🐠 Catch us at EUDI Show, Stand C77!
Celebrate the ocean and explore the latest in scuba diving and marine research with MaRHE Center.
See you there! 🤿🌍

#EUDI30 #ScubaDiving #MaRHECenter #OceanLovers

Evidence of oxidative stress in the soft coral Pinnigorgia flava (Nutting, 1910) exposed to secondary plastic nanofibers and related leachates Awareness of plastic pollution in marine habitats, such as coral reefs, has grown in recent years. Several studies have shown that tiny particles resu…

📢 New Publication Alert from Isa et al.

"𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗮 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗮 (𝗡𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝟭𝟵𝟭𝟬) 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀"
A key step in understanding plastic pollution's impact on marine ecosystems.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...